Murena #3

The cover of this 2001 Dargaud Benelux release is immediately arresting — a richly detailed Roman gladiatorial helmet, rendered in warm bronze tones, dominates the entire frame, its ornate latticed cheek guard and battle-worn surface suggesting both power and violence lurking just beneath the surface. Philippe Delaby's cover art brings a painterly, almost archaeological intimacy to the image, making the helmet feel less like a prop and more like a relic charged with history. "Een volmaakte moeder" (A Perfect Mother) promises that Dufaux and Delaby's acclaimed series continues to weave personal drama against the brutal grandeur of imperial Rome.